More than 100 homes, businesses damaged in Moss Point tornado

June 20, 2023

WXXV,

More than 100 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in Moss Point on Monday afternoon after a tornado ripped through the downtown area of the city.

The mayor is meeting with other city officials at 8:30 a.m. at the fire station to gather information and provide updates.

Moss Point Police advised that Main Street/Highway 613 remains closed to traffic downtown, with only emergency vehicles allowed through.

The northbound traffic will be detoured at Martin Luther King Boulevard and the southbound traffic will be detoured at McInnis Avenue.

All commercial vehicles on I-10 will need to use Exit 69/Highway 63.

State Rep. Jeramy Anderson, whose district encompasses Moss Point, said he will make sure the community gets the help it needs to recover.

“I want to assure all of you that you will not tackle this recovery alone. I am confident that officials at the city, country, state and national level will be working together to bring whatever assistance and resources Moss Point needs,” Anderson said.

“The silver lining in such a disaster is it strengthens the unity and sense of community of those affected. There are no Republicans and Democrats in a disaster’s aftermath, just people helping people.”

Among the buildings damaged was Moss Point High School, including the gymnasium, as well as Merchants & Marine Bank, where some of the employees were trapped for a time after the storm.

Six people were injured in the tornado, but there were no fatalities.

Pelican Landing conference center was opened as a shelter for those whose homes were destroyed. Residents of Palmetto Drive were evacuated to the conference center Monday evening because of rising flood waters from the heavy rain that accompanied the storm system that spawned the tornado.

Pelican Landing shelter will move to the Riverfront Community Center on Denny Street as of 1 p.m. today.

Mississippi Power and Singing River Power sent line crews to Moss Point to restore power to homes that were not damaged. As of 8 a.m., Singing River showed power restored to its customers. Mississippi Power shows 700 without power.